Save big on Antarctica trips

Voyage south on the adventure of a lifetime

Experience the ultimate adventure on an Antarctica cruise

Are you ready for a real adventure? Then set out on one of our thrilling expedition cruises to Antarctica, where you’ll experience the ultimate in polar exploration.

Our Antarctica cruises fully immerse you in the otherworldly polar environment, introducing you to an exotic variety of Antarctic wildlife – whales, seals, penguins, and many other seabirds that can be seen in few other places on the planet.

Not only that, you’ll enjoy exhilarating outdoor activities like kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, scuba diving, and even camping. On our Antarctica cruises, there is never a dull moment.

What you’ll do and see on your cruise to Antarctica

An Oceanwide Antarctica cruise takes you to another world. Enchanting icescapes, beautiful wildlife, and exhilarating shore landings will bring out your inner explorer.

Because you won’t just experience Antarctica from the decks of a vessel; you’ll explore it firsthand, either on foot or in one of our Zodiacs. Our cruises to Antarctica take you as close as possible to every glacier front, iceberg, and mountainous shoreline.

Not to mention all the humpback whales, gentoo penguins, fur seals, and wandering albatrosses you may encounter along the way. On an Antarctic cruise, epic is just the beginning.

Antarctica cruise destinations, activities, and options

Our cruises to Antarctica are as varied as the wildlife. Do you want to take a helicopter flight to a Weddell Sea emperor penguin colony? Do you want to walk the stunning shores of South Georgia, surrounded by elephant seals and king penguins? Or is an activity-filled Basecamp cruise more your speed?

Whatever expedition experience most appeals to you, we have the Antarctica cruise for it. Check out our current list of available cruises to Antarctica, and take the first step in an unforgettable adventure.

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Cruises to Antarctica

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Elephant Island - Antarctica - Polar Circle
Up to $9600 OFF

Falkland Islands - South Georgia - Elephant Island - Antarctica - Polar Circle

20 Feb - 14 Mar, 2025

Tripcode: HDS29-25

This Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctic Peninsula cruise is an animal-lover’s dream come true. The expedition explores one of the last untamed areas on Earth – a land of ruggedly beautiful landscapes and amazingly varied wildlife.

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from: 10000 USD

Atlantic Odyssey
Up to $6200 OFF

Atlantic Odyssey

23 Mar - 15 Apr, 2025

Tripcode: HDS31-25

The Atlantic Odyssey cruise visits some of the remotest islands in the world, crossing the migratory paths of Arctic Terns, Long-tailed Skuas, other birds, and a variety of whales as they make their annual expeditions north for the breeding season.

Antarctica - Elephant Island - Weddell Sea - Polar Circle
Up to $6100 OFF

Antarctica - Elephant Island - Weddell Sea - Polar Circle

9 Mar - 23 Mar, 2025

Tripcode: PLA31-25

This expansive expedition takes you into the Antarctic Circle, combining the rich animal life of the Weddell Sea with the surreal shores and islands of the Antarctic Peninsula. Such key landing sites as the legendary Elephant Island and Crystal Sound...

Antarctica - Beyond the Polar Circle - Wilkins Ice Shelf - Aurora Australis
Up to $5100 OFF

Antarctica - Beyond the Polar Circle - Wilkins Ice Shelf - Aurora Australis

21 Mar - 5 Apr, 2025

Tripcode: OTL32-25

This voyage explores a number of historically significant Antarctic areas, such as the very rarely visited Bellingshausen Sea, Marguerite Bay, and Alexander Island. We focus on places discovered by Adrien De Gerlache on his Belgian Antarctic Expedition...

Antarctica - Polar Circle - Whale watching
Up to $4500 OFF

Antarctica - Polar Circle - Whale watching

23 Mar - 3 Apr, 2025

Tripcode: PLA32-25

This Polar Circle and Antarctic Peninsula cruise passes through waters travelled by Humpback, Minke and Fin whales. Anchoring in various spots around the region, the expedition offers the chance to dive in the iceberg-heavy waters.

Antarctica cruise video

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Antarctica blog

Historic building at Whalers Bay successfully restored after graffiti incident

In partnership with the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT), Oceanwide Expeditions has successfully restored a historic aircraft hangar at Whalers Bay on Deception Island - just one month after an incident of graffiti.

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Antarctica story

Crossing, Kayaking, Camping: Three Antarctic Adventures

Crossing the Drake Passage rewards thousands of tourists every year with one of the most incredible paradises on planet Earth!

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Antarctica cruise reviews

by James Marshall
What can I say about the trip of a lifetime? The trip far exceeded my expectations. It was the combination of the spectacular wildlife, the islands and locations we visited. Undoubtedly the weather helped, with a beautiful sunrise in Antarctic Sound. The expedition staff were excellent and knowledgeable in their fields of expertise. The living quarters were excellent and the hotel staff couldn’t be faulted. The food was outstanding, with its quality and variety, even if soup wasn’t always served owing to the sea conditions. I give full marks to the chef and his team for producing such quality food on a moving vessel. I would have been very happy if I only saw half of what we did see on this trip, it was truly outstanding.
by Markus Pelzmann
Sehr gutes, relativ kleines Schiff in gutem Zustand und in guten Händen. Tolles Expeditionsteam, das viel weiß und freundlich und immer um die Gäste bemüht ist. Unschlagbares Wildlife.
by Angeles Lopez

Amazing trip . Above expecta. Great food. Just frustrated, as everyone, since we never got to touch or see the main land or antartic peninsula as the program promised.

by Sonia Islam
This is an excellent cruise to take if you are an adventure lover with passion for wild lives. It was a dream come true for me.
by Amol Karnik

We had a fabulous time on board. The facilities were excellent, the food was delicious, the service was impeccable and the expedition guides and staff were delightful and friendly. We do have one or possibly two regrets. We got to spend less than 24 hours around the peninsula amidst icebergs (compared to 3+ days around S Georgia), so it definitely wasn't enough time in Antartica to enjoy the landscapes and the mesmerising beauty of the icebergs and perhaps enjoy more of the wildlife. It would have also been nice to do a landing on the continent. Considering that Antartica is the main goal of most, if not all visitors, this should be what every trip should be focussed around. We (and many other passengers) felt similarly and were disappointed by this one aspect of the trip. I understand that the itinerary is subject to weather conditions, but it also sounded like we were unable to go to the western side of the peninsula due to 'traffic'. I do not wish to sound ungrateful for the experience but I felt it was important that this sentiment is honestly relayed. I hope that this feedback is taken in the spirit that it is intended.

by Maria Teresa Ruggeri
Viaggio fantastico, oltre ogni aspettativa. Nave, equipaggio e posti sono stati meravigliosi

FAQ's about Antarctica cruises

Antarctica is the fifth largest of the seven continents. Antarctica has two large indentations which are the Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea. The nearest continent is South America. The total surface of Antarctica is 14.2 Million square kilometres (about 5.5 million square miles) in summer.

The time zone in Antarctica is the same as the time zone in New Zealand:  GMT + 12 hours. On regular Antarctic trips we operate in the same time zone as Ushuaia, Argentina: GMT – 3 hours. 

No, the remote location, frozen landscape, and unpredictable weather can make tourism operations in Antarctica tricky, but Oceanwide Expeditions has the right experience, knowledge, and expertise to stay safe in the Antarctic. 

Antarctica is the coldest and also the windiest continent in the world. The lowest temperature on Earth was recorded in Antarctica. There are three climatic regions in Antarctica:

The interior of the continent: This is the extremely cold area of Antarctica. The coastal areas: These areas have milder temperatures and much higher precipitation rates. The Antarctic Peninsula: This is the region which has a warmer and also wetter climate; above freezing temperatures are common in the summer months.

During the summer months temperatures in the Antarctic Peninsula range between -2°C - +5 °C. In the Ross Sea it can get significantly colder with temperatures down to -20°C. 

Yes, but only if the expedition leader considers local conditions safe. In that event, we may offer this swimming activity from shore under the supervision of our guides. For safety reasons, we do not do the polar from our vessels or Zodiac boats.

We follow the protocol advised by IAATO. Before leaving for your voyage, please make sure anything you bring that may come into contact with the environment (clothes, equipment, etc.) is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. We ask that you do not sit, kneel, or lay down during our landings. Please also do not place anything on the ground. You will receive a document with further information after booking.

On this page you find all information you need to know about the avian influenza outbreaks, including biosecurity protocols.

About Antarctica cruises

Weather you can expect on your cruise to Antarctica

Your Antarctica cruise will show you some of Earth’s most beautiful scenery in one of its least hospitable environments: Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest of all the continents, though it grants travelers access to some of the most dazzling sights the planet has to offer.

Grey peaks stab out of the wind-carved snow, passing icebergs dot the dark blue waters, and wildlife that can be seen nowhere else reminds you that you’re truly in another world when you are on an Antarctica cruise.

Along the Antarctic coastline, temperatures can reach as high as 10°C (50°F) during a hot summer day. On a regular day, it can plummet to barely above freezing. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be uncomfortable. Our vessels are designed to make your cruise to Antarctica as pleasant as possible, and we’ll give you all the packing info you need to stay warm and dry from beginning to end.

Fun facts to prepare you for your Antarctica cruise

  • Antarctica is larger than Europe
  • Because Antarctica experiences so little precipitation, it is technically a desert
  • The name “Antarctica” comes from a Greek phrase meaning “opposite to north”
  • Almost 62% of the freshwater ice on Earth exists in Antarctica, enough to raise the oceans by about 60 meters (197 feet) if it melted today
  • The coldest temperature ever recorded was at the Antarctic research station Vostok, on July 21, 1983, when the thermometer dropped to -89.2°C (-128.6°F), cold enough to shatter steel
  • Despite the cold, the biggest documented mass of living creatures — a 10,000,000-ton school of krill — was spotted in the Antarctic
  • The first confirmed sighting of Antarctica was in 1820, though it would take almost a century — until 1911, to be exact — before a human being set foot on the continent

Join us on a once-in-a-lifetime cruise to Antarctica

An Antarctica cruise introduces you to a seldom-seen side of our planet. It means visiting a part of Earth that has remained largely unchanged since Aristotle first wrote of Terra Australis, or the “Land of the South,” centuries before Antarctica would be seen by human eyes.

Taking a cruise to Antarctica also means acquainting yourself with the real survivalists of the Antarctic: the seals, whales, penguins, and other seabirds who call the region home.

Our Antarctica cruises offer you an experience unlike any you have ever had. Whether you’re kayaking among towering icebergs, hiking near inquisitive penguins, or camping beneath the wild polar skies, your cruise to Antarctica will redefine your notion of adventure.

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